Category Archives: Stay Strong

While widely reported studies suggest that moderate drinking (one drink a day for women, two for men) can be good for your heart, no one ever recommends moderate smoking. With heart disease, cancer and stroke the three leading causes of death for Americans, it’s important to consider that the CDC names tobacco, poor diet and alcohol as primary causes of those deaths. If you thought they were helping you manage stress, think again.

There’s no denying that as a paramedic or EMT you are exposed to a lot of dreadfully sad events. But there is a difference between being sad because of something you saw or heard and being depressed for no apparent reason at all. Being sad is a normal reaction when something upsetting has happened, such as a loved one dying. However, when after several months you are unable to get out of bed in the morning, you could be depressed.

Exercise is important to a healthy lifestyle. And according to the American Heart Association, 65% of adults aren’t getting nearly enough since that’s the percentage of us who are classified as obese or overweight. In general, people are simply less active because of technology and better mass transportation. Physically active jobs now make up only about 25% of the workforce, 50% less than in 1950.

Even in the EMS field you’ve likely noticed technology has taken some of the physical strain out of the tasks you perform. Yet, it’s critical to stay in shape.

The report, The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Fire Fighters and EMS Responders, along with its accompanying computer-based educational program, presents background information on normal sleep physiology and the health and performance effects of sleep deprivation.

One major hurdle for EMS personnel trying to eat healthy on the job is cost. Wages for the typical EMS provider are significantly lower than those of the average American. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, median pay for EMTs and paramedics as of 2010 was $30,360 per year, or approximately $14.60 per hour.(1) Contrast this with the mean per capita income of Americans that same year: $39,937, based on data from the U.S. Department of Commerce.(2) This means that EMTs and paramedics make almost 24% less yearly than the national average. What does this mean to your efforts to purchase nutritious food? Short answer: You need to find ways to eat well on the cheap.

Most of us know at least one person who refuses to speak or function in the morning until they’ve had their first cup of coffee. Actually, chances are you know several, since a reported 90% of North Americans consume caffeine on a daily basis.1 EMS providers are likely no exception, since long hours, switching between days and nights, and busy shifts with no sleep can put extra stress on our bodies and cause extreme fatigue.